Built / Designed For: Sir John Molesworth, 4th Bt.

House & Family History: Pencarrow was built for two Sir John Molesworths, father and son, and designed by Robert Allanson, who came from York to build the House. Allanson died in 1773 at age 38, thus making Pencarrow his major work. Sir William Molesworth, radical statesman and secretary of state for the colonies, engaged the architect George Wightwick to carry out various alterations to Pencarrow in the 1840s. Wightwick added the alcove to the Music Room, used the fine paneling from the old mansion house at Tetcott for the walls of this room and of the Entrance Hall, which he turned into a Library. In 1919, Ernest Newton was hired by Sir Hugh Molesworth-St. Aubyn to modernize the interior of the House and its cottages; he also altered the Stables. The Molesworth family and their descendants, the Molesworth-St. Aubyns, have made Pencarrow their seat since the reign of Elizabeth I. John Moldsworth purchased the Estate from an Exeter family called Walker. Earlier it had belonged to the ancient families of Stapleton, Sergiaux, and De Pencarrow. John Molesworth was the auditor, or commissioner, for the Duchy of Cornwall to Elizabeth I. A later Sir John Molesworth was knighted by Charles II and appointed vice-admiral of the northern parts of Cornwall. In 1771 another Sir John Molesworth became one of the co-founders of the banking house of Sir John Molesworth & Company, which eventually became Lloyds Bank.

Garden & Outbuildings: The Gardens at Pencarrow were designed and laid out by the radical statesman Sir William Molesworth, from 1831 until 1855. The grounds feature a fine sunken Italian Garden, a rockery, a lake, and an Ice House. The Estate features more than 700 different types of rhododendrons, 160 different species of specimen conifer from all over the world, and more than 60 different camellias.

John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. II, p. 58, 1853.

Country Life: CXVI, 118, 200, 1954.

House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Not Listed

Current Seat / Home of: Molesworth-St. Aubyn family

Past Seat / Home of: Stapleton family. Sergiaux family. De Pencarrow family. Walker family. Moldsworth family. Sir William Molesworth, 19th century.

Current Ownership Type: Individual / Family Trust

Primary Current Ownership Use: Private Home

Ownership Details: .

House Open to Public: Yes

Phone: 01208-841-369

Fax: 01208-841-369

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.pencarrow.co.uk

Awards: NPI Award 1998 Winner, NPI Award 1997 Winner.

Historic Houses Member: Yes